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IPCC Investigating After Woman Dies In Custody In York

The Independent Police Complaints Commission say an investigation is being carried out into the death of a mentally ill woman while in police custody.

The 31-year-old was detained under the Mental Health Act by officers in North Yorkshire at 2.50pm on Thursday (June 2) after a member of the public flagged them down in Bootham, York, and reported her strange behaviour.

She was taken to Fulford Road police station in York and was found collapsed in her cell at around 6pm the same day. The woman was taken to hospital but pronounced dead just under an hour later.

IPCC Commissioner Nicholas Long said: "Our investigators will examine the circumstances of this woman's detention, her transportation to the police station and the care she received while in custody.

"I would urge anybody who was on Bootham on Thursday afternoon and saw a woman behaving strangely, or being detained by police, to contact the IPCC to help inform our investigation."

A post-mortem was carried out on Friday afternoon but was inconclusive, so further tests will be performed.